I Cannot forget , nor yet forbear gratefully to recognizance that most kind and noble violence your Lordship vouchsaf'd to practise upon me in a foreign Country , where the guilt of many years undeserved exile had rendred me morosely jealous of all that had more lately breathed in English air ; and the conscience of discharging faithfully my duty in that trust , which with much affection , and obligation , was committed to me , had made me somewhat obstinate in my retirement , and half a Separatist from Conversation , what honour or advantage soever might be obtained by it , until your Lordships more than gracious condescention had rais'd my blush at what before I esteem'd my vertue ; and your more than peremptory Commands forced me to the honourable fruition of that happiness , whereof I should have been most ambitious , in a near aquaintance with your excellencies , such as I confess unfeignedly , I more admired upon my experience , and infallible observation , than I could have credited upon the most authentick character might have been given me by any whom your Lordship earlier admitted to that discovery which had no veil : all which , though I must not here enumerate to affected minutes ; nor wind up , though without slattery , to the strain of reproach ▪ yet there are three I shall not omit to instance , if to no other purpose , at least ( which implies no doubt ) to oblige your Lordship to perseverance , the apostasie from each being no less desperate , than frequent ; and that from one or two , sometime so countenanced or rewarded , as it has almost the impudence to plead merit , which should beg a pardon ; and to expect to have what should be most abhorred , and detested , either imitated , or commended .

The first , my Lord , was your conscientious and earnest care to be better satisfied in the grounds and reason of that Religion , which you did , and were most inclinable to profess , and practise , when most persecuted and depressed ; and , this effected , your humble and obsequious resignation to the Canon of our Church , and that in some particulars , wherein few persons , ever prejudiced , have been counselable ; and such as were not , thought unnecessary ▪ or , because of desuetude , improper to be observed .

The second , was your Lordships generous and loyal resolution , in a time difficult to be taken , and no less dangerous to be owned , to adventure life , upon any reasonable and justifiable occasion at an age , but then mature for the gust of worldly pleasures ; and a noble Estate , into the possession whereof you were but newly entered , whensoever both , or either , might be hop'd effectual toward the restitution of your banished , and every way injured King ; wherein although your Lordship are most happily prevented by the powerfull hand of Heaven , which , without humane assistance , has over-rul'd the change ; and , by some sweeter influence than that of a Mar●ial star , hath softened the most obdurate hearts of aged Rebels to a capacity of peace , and the impression of allegiance to their Prince that brought it home to their doors , with so much clemency , and such munificence , as scarcely has been , or ere will be parallel'd , if Posterity should play the wanton in bloud for the like reward : yet I cannot but erect upon that sincerity of your intention ( which I humbly crave your leave , without arrogance , thus publickly to attest ) a Monument of Honour to your Lordships name and person , unto which I wish all the indulgence of Royal favour , that can be expected , or may be hoped from Him , who is more likely to be endowed with Power , and Plenty , answerable to the greater objects He has for Royal bounty , and more causes for sumptuous Magnificence and State , than ever had any of our preceding Britannike Kings .

The third was your most intent and affectionate endeavour ( in the privacy you could possibly reconcile to the eminence of your Honour , and the importunity of that Nation ) to recover what the malignity of Times , accompanied with an inveigling discouragement to all select and exquisite Studies , had in part deprived you of , and wherein you had been prevented , to improve your knowledg to a degree worthy your high birth and fortune , and necessary to the future interest you may have in affairs of State , and Regency of your Country : unto which by the ascendent promptness of your Lordships parts , and faculties , such your quickness of apprehension , variety of fancy , solidity of judgment , tenacity of memory , and all else that Nature could furnish ( as if in design ) you might easily have attained , and may yet , the sphear of science you have in your aim , if your engagements otherwise could leave you free for that steady method , and those early hours , which you were prone , my Lord , most exemplarily to observe , as also for the choyce of a person qualified with learning , loyalty , prudence , and integrity , for that your Lordships service and assistance , and such a one , whensoever you find him , I dare assure , will be as much obliged by the singular ingenuity and peculiar sweetness of your Lordships disposition ; as by the nobleness of your entertainment , to advance your purpose .

For so much , or so little , as you were pleas'd , my Lord , to make me concerned in it , when you found me otherwise imploy'd abroad , I confess I never was more satisfied in any thing of like nature , than when I could suggest at any time what won upon your opinion , or would be of improvement to your studies in the use . Nor was I thus affected only while your stay was on the other side ; but easily induced to promise , and earnest enough to performe , some part of the same duty after your Lordships departure thence .

The Collection I at present dedicate with much assurance , unto your Honour , I am not now to certifie you , was first attempted , in compliance with your Lordships kindness for such Maximes , and Corollaries , and sententious Brevets , which by ordinary observation , and less considerable essayes , I had sufficiently discovered : and when you please to remember how much you expressed your self transported with the first sheets I sent you over , you will not wonder that the little manual , I first intended , is become a Volume ; that I have reviewed and passed beyond the principal Book , to a general survey of all the Writings I hear of published in the name of that most Wise , and now , indeed , by the merit of his intellectual , and moral ; Christian , and Regal ; active and passive vertues , most Glorious King.

The benefit I mean you by it , my Lord , is not only the too-late-admiring the superexcellency of that Royal Soul , which was the Casket of such Jewels , the Treasury of such divine and humane Wisdom , as if He had been heir of all the concealed riches of this sort , that had been amass'd for Solomon , or since for the whole succession of Emperours among the Greeks ; Nor to give you some short diversion between the periods of your Studies , or stages of your Lordships most serious and urgent business ; but your modelling and forming by it , at your choicest and severest hours , a Christian Canon both for a practick and contemplative holy life ; a litle Rationale of the Doctrine and Discipline of that Church , into the Communion whereof , ( after an unavoidable conflict , and intrinsic contestation , with the importunity of Presbyterian , Independent , Anabaptistical , and other fallacies , the principles of all which Sects and Heresies had been for many years lowdly sounded by the Trumpet of a bloudy Rebellion in your Lordships ears ) with how much devout affection , with what profess'd satisfaction , and resolution you know , you enter'd ; The best Exemplar and fairest Copy that was ere presented unto the Princes , and Great Peers of the World , for regulating their Councels , Words , and Actions , by Conscience , Reason , Honour ; for your abominating all Sacriledg , as that which would be the Cancer no less of your Soul , than your Estate ; chusing rather , if put upon it , to part with your inheritance , than with so much breath as may form your vote to the prophaning and sequestring , what the religious Charity of your Ancestors dedicated to pious uses ; of adhering inseparably to the Holy Order of Episcopacy , never questioned by any , but such Wretches , as had desperately plunged themselves into either Heresie , Schisme , Sacriledg , or Rebellion ; A Caveat , never to make the counterfeit of religious zeal , serve the purpose of Ambition ; nor to torture your King's Conscience , under a pretence to ease your own ; A Monitory , how much the prudence of Nobles may fix a due temperament in the Commons , as likewise how their chief interest consists in their fidelity to the Crown , not in their ignoble compliance with any factious Party of the People . A perpetual Memorial of the affronts and injuries done to so excellent a King , no otherwise now to be repaired and recompensated , than by paying and exacting all possible duty and allegiance , accumulating all honour , and state , and wealth , that each one can contribute to his Royal Successour , who , it may be hoped , will persevere in the happy government of his Nations , according to the incomparable Maxims of piety and policy , that are scattered in those sacred Oracular books and papers , composed not according to Plato's Ideas , or other speculative conceits and fancies , but out of Divine emanations , by what means , in what manner , instilled , need not be enquired ; out of the various alternate experiments of a flourishing and fading condition , a calm and stormy season of his Reign ; a quiet , and scrupulous , a self-clearing , and sometimes , a self-condemning , disposition of Conscience ; the sense of love and loyalty from some , of Rebellion and malice from other of his Subjects ; the several events from prudent results , and mistakes , in his Councel ; the flattery and folly , the sincerity and sapience , in the diversity of his Nobles ; the learning and ignorance , zeal and moderation , luke-warmness and absolute coldness , in his Clergy ; the steady resolution and giddiness of his Commons ; the courage and cowardise , the conscientious care and negligence of his S●ldiers ; the liberty and restraint , the entredeux or state of indifference , such as may be call'd the Royal durance , or free Imprisonment of his person ; the apprehensions of a violent death , and hope of a kind reconciling deliverance ; finally , such variety of all sorts in Himself and others , that were , or should have been under His Majesties Dominion , that no Prince of like natural endowments , of so just and pious inclinations , had such Religious , Civil , and Military advantages , to raise such a fabrick of Policy and Religion , such a structure of Lawes and Counsells , of secur'd assertions , and weigh'd experiments , as by which not only the Princes and People of our age , at whose ports and Palaces the rumours and terrours of our Troubles have arriv'd ; but all Posterity may prevent , if they please to regard and practise whatsoever misery and mischief the infernal Spirits of Discord and Confusion , may intend them .

All these , my Lord , and many more ( which I leave to your own discovery ) being the natural issue of emolument from the book ; my advice is , that you would improve and multiply them in each particular , by your Lordships reading , and hearing , and observing , applying to each Oracle or Apharism , here presented , whatsoever may occur , relating with any significancy , unto it , whether in ancient or modern History ; in the Policy of our own or other Nations ; in the Relations and Discourses of wise and understanding men ; in the practises right or wrong , of any whomsoever your Lordship may have reason and opportunity to regard . This done , my Lord , and ought else your Lordship may see necessary , if after some few years resolution , I have the honour to kiss your hand , I shall expect , with much confidence , your Lordships thanks , which I desire not before you shall have reapt the profit of my pains ; and become sensible of the service done you by this Collection ( how affectedly indigested soere it be ) toward the regulating your Life ; whether in publick imployment , or private conversation ; toward the confirming you in the still-opposed , still undermined , Religion of our Church ; toward your conduct of any Government , or Command , you may have in your Country , and your influence upon the well or ill-affected People there ; toward the honour may be , I hope , conferred upon you , for promoting the interest of the Crown to the very uttermost extent and efficacy of your own : and after all , above all toward your reward in heaven , for your devotion to God , and fidelity to your King , which no man wisheth you , with more affectionate unfeigned zeal , than ,